135th Gettysburg

[Story]

I shared the ambulance with a heat stroke casualty that had to be shocked with the paddles to keep him alive.

I (and others) would just shake our heads at the number of folks that failed to properly pre-hydrate before events. I was obviously 22 years younger then and I still got nearly dehydrated despite pushing the water.

Something about Pennsylvania July weather, wool uniforms and toting 20 lbs of gear around all day...

 

[MackCW]

I (and others) would just shake our heads at the number of folks that failed to properly pre-hydrate before events. I was obviously 22 years younger then and I still got nearly dehydrated despite pushing the water.

Something about Pennsylvania July weather, wool uniforms and toting 20 lbs of gear around all day...

And it was a hot one for sure

 

[James N.]

And it was a hot one for sure

Compared to what? I thought the weather at the time of Pickett's Charge was delightful: clear beautiful blue sky, with temperatures somewhere in the low-mid 80's, comfortable for wearing wool in the summer. (Remember, I'm from Texas!) Just in case you haven't already seen it, here's my thread on the event:

With the Frontier Battalion at Gettysburg 135th, July, 1998 | Reenactors Forum - Join, Drill, See the Elephant

The Frontier Battalion formed on Seminary Ridge on the third day of the battle. It's hard to imagine, but Civil War Reenacting is now old enough to have a "history" all its own! Throughout my reenacting career I was generally too involved with what was going on and had cameras that didn't do...

civilwartalk.com

 

[MackCW]

Compared to what? I thought the weather at the time of Pickett's Charge was delightful: clear beautiful blue sky, with temperatures somewhere in the low-mid 80's, comfortable for wearing wool in the summer. (Remember, I'm from Texas!) Just in case you haven't already seen it, here's my thread on the event:

With the Frontier Battalion at Gettysburg 135th, July, 1998 | Reenactors Forum - Join, Drill, See the Elephant

The Frontier Battalion formed on Seminary Ridge on the third day of the battle. It's hard to imagine, but Civil War Reenacting is now old enough to have a "history" all its own! Throughout my reenacting career I was generally too involved with what was going on and had cameras that didn't do...

civilwartalk.com

View attachment 378096

Was talking about Thursday when I first arrived and the cav event was still happening. The day of Pickett's charge temps were incredible. There was a slight breeze during the cannonade and I was so relaxed while laying down that I fell asleep.

You were twenty yards in front of me btw

 

[James N.]

Was talking about Thursday when I first arrived and the cav event was still happening. The day of Pickett's charge temps were incredible. There was a slight breeze during the cannonade and I was so relaxed while laying down that I fell asleep.

You were twenty yards in front of me btw

I don't remember the weather prior to that but it no doubt paled in comparison with the beastly 125th ten years earlier when I almost passed out from heatstroke after the Wheatfield scenario! Fortunately at this event I was more or less an unattached fifth wheel with no real duties or responsibilities so was able to pretty much roam at will taking photos, making it my best event ever in that respect.

 

[rli]

Finally got to watch it. A lot of old faces Dana Heim, Paul Laimo, Tony Daniels. That was quite an experience. The Confederates did an awesome job on The Charge. Thanks for posting

 

[Story]

Finally got to watch it. A lot of old faces Dana Heim, Paul Laimo, Tony Daniels. That was quite an experience. The Confederates did an awesome job on The Charge. Thanks for posting

I miss that guy. He did the job right.

Got the warm-and-fuzzies anytime he was around.

Obituary of Paul Laimo | DeMarco-Luisi Funeral Home

Paul Laimo, 58 of Milmay, passed away on Sunday, September 27, 2015, after his brave battle with cancer. Born to Frank and Stella (Iacona) in San Mateo, California, before moving to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and then to New Jersey. Paul was a 1975 graduate of Vineland High School where he was...

dlfuneral.com

 

[Story]

Gettysburg (or possibly the Wilderness, same year).
72nd PA in foreground, 69th PA in background.
Still gives a sense of scale of the event.

 

[Story]

Second Day, I think..

 

[Story]

About an hour before Pickett's Charge started.

 

[rebed19th]

Here's a pic from the confederate side pickett's division. I climbed a tree to get this shot

 

[2nd Dragoon]

Never seen photos from the event on the Confederate side. They look more relaxed.

 

[2nd Dragoon]

I (and others) would just shake our heads at the number of folks that failed to properly pre-hydrate before events. I was obviously 22 years younger then and I still got nearly dehydrated despite pushing the water.

Something about Pennsylvania July weather, wool uniforms and toting 20 lbs of gear around all day...

Then the Gettysburg hospital released me (with a bottle of percoset), I went to my friends motel room and stayed until the day of Pickett's charge got dressed in my uniform and stood behind the thin blue line and took pictures of that charge. Remarkable day.

 

[drezac]

Those were the good days - I was there with 1st Ohio Battery A. At that time we were fully funded by the state of Ohio, and were large enough to field all 4 of the State House guns. At Picketts charge, we were running full 2lb service charges in both 12-pdrs. We burnt well over 200 lb of powder at that event.

 

[Story]

If you lean forward and press your nose against the screen, you can still smell the campfire coffee.

 

[Cavalier]

I have read and re read this topic several times. I only wish I had been part of it. For some one who has never reenacted, this seems to be what its all about.

And, for everyone who posted videos, picture or told stories about their experiences, I thank you. It was fun to read about.

John

 

[2nd Dragoon]

I also remember that there were two actual battlefield injuries; the 1st was a bayonet wound, the 2nd was a gunshot wound. Both could have been avoided if safety majors had been in place. Both injuries were on the CSA side.

The bayonet wound was an accidental wound; a unit of infantry were marching in a column of four with fixed bayonets as they hurried to take their place in the firing line. Someone tripped and the guy behind ended up ramming himself onto the bayonet in the chest throat area.

The gunshot wound is a comedy of errors. We had people all over the globe show up to reenact. One gentleman came from France and had borrowed weapons from a friend who lived in the USA. That friend had previously loaned his pistols to a buddy for a live fire event. The buddy had an apparent misfire, the round never left the barrel of the gun. The buddy having never cleaned the borrowed weapons returned them to the friend having said nothing about the misfire or the need for cleaning. The friend again loaned the weapon to the Frenchman who overloaded the pistol with fresh black powder blanks. The Frenchman never cleaned the gun or checked, but why should he, his friend is reliable. During the event the Frenchman who is part of a CSA dismounted cavalry unit fires upon the Union dismounted troopers. A Union trooper was hit and wounded. This caused the medics to appear and after the 135th the police and DA got involved to sort things out. Made the newspapers.

The 135th left many good memories and a few injuries in its wake.

 

[Story]

The gunshot wound is a comedy of errors. We had people all over the globe show up to reenact. One gentleman came from France and had borrowed weapons from a friend who lived in the USA. That friend had previously loaned his pistols to a buddy for a live fire event. The buddy had an apparent misfire, the round never left the barrel of the gun. The buddy having never cleaned the borrowed weapons returned them to the friend having said nothing about the misfire or the need for cleaning. The friend again loaned the weapon to the Frenchman who overloaded the pistol with fresh black powder blanks. The Frenchman never cleaned the gun or checked, but why should he, his friend is reliable. During the event the Frenchman who is part of a CSA dismounted cavalry unit fires upon the Union dismounted troopers. A Union trooper was hit and wounded. This caused the medics to appear and after the 135th the police and DA got involved to sort things out. Made the newspapers.

Yes it did

Re-enactor heals from mysterious shot Suspect fired gun belonging to stranger; malice yet to be found

Clinton Wakefield Epps is racing through the woods, sunshine piercing through the dusk, smoky and unreal, heart thumping, hair flying, imagining himself a Confederate infantryman in pursuit of Yankee cavalry. He is rushing forward, out…

www.baltimoresun.com

 

[2nd Dragoon]

My memory is at fault here it was a Confederate that was shot not a Union soldier.... Still bad safety procedures. You never aim at the person, always aim over their heads during reenactment. I have seen ram rods in the heat of battle get fired at the opposing side do to carelessness. Or someone forgets to take muzzle cover (wood plug) and it gets shot down range.... It is dangerous out there.


GETTYSBURG, Pa. (AP) _ A Frenchman who came to Gettysburg for a re-enactment of the Civil War battle has been charged with assault after another pretend soldier was shot in the neck.

Christian Evo, 52, of Muret, France, didn't mean to shoot Clinton Wakefield Epps last Friday during a re-enactment of the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg, State Police Sgt. Patrick Gebhart said Tuesday.

``There was no intent involved, but a recklessness and negligence involved,″ Gebhart said.

Epps, of Charlottesville, Va., was in satisfactory condition Tuesday with a gunshot wound to the neck. The three-day event, billed as the largest Civil War re-enactment ever, drew 35,000 spectators.

Evo was arrested Tuesday in Washington, D.C. He was scheduled to appear at a hearing this afternoon to determine if he should be extradited to Pennsylvania. He faces charges of simple assault and recklessly endangering another person.

Epps, a re-enactor with the Confederate 7th Virginia regiment infantry, was part of a late afternoon skirmish Friday when he found himself away from his unit, surrounded by Union soldiers and horses. He felt something strike his neck and fell to the ground.

At first, he could not get help from other re-enactors because they thought he was play-acting. He said he never saw who shot him.

Rules specifically ban the use of live ammunition in the re-enactment.

Doctors removed a .44-caliber Minie ball from his neck. It was believed to have come from a replica or a Civil War-era revolver.

 

[Si Klegg]

I met Christian at one of the French European Battalion events. I think, once it was established that the other feller was OK, he kind of enjoyed a brief notoriety. That soon wore off though when every re-enactor for miles were pointing him out and retelling the story. The Frog Mess - a very good and dedicated Living History Group - and the main French organisers were terrifically embarrassed by the whole thing.

As I heard it, it was the bottom ring of whatever round was used in the live firing that was left in the barrel and that was what hit Mr Epps. I haven't a clue about pistols, but that's what I heard.

We had our own problem way back in the 80's when a ramrod tip came off and lodged in the barrel of the weapon and was consequently shot into the neck of a member of the American Eagles Living History Group. The feller survived, but it was touch and go. Ramrods were no more nationally after that once the Old Bill got involved!

I only found out about it because in a group round the campfire I mentioned the name of a chap who I'd bought a key-wind watch off and was informed that he was the shooter!